AFRICOM = Recent reports reveal “averaging (of) more than a mission a day” = 5,000 to 8,000 US military personnel on the ground

AFRICOM = Military attempts a friendly face on its expeditions in Africa. = Eric Schmitt wrote glowingly about fighting terrorism with mosquito nets…“American boxes of donated vitamins, prenatal medicines, and mosquito netting to combat malaria.” = Public relations campaign.

AFRICOM = NO humanitarian outfit = Projects are more like a Trojan Horse: dressed up as gifts, they establish points of entry on the continent when and where they may be needed. = A Staging Ground

AFRICOM = Under the auspice of development and conflict prevention portrays itself as collaborative with African partners, dedicated to humanitarian aid, and trustworthy in the eyes of local peoples. = Command’s Facebook and Twitter

AFRICOM = Expansive presence of American military personnel and technology on the ground and in the skies. = Conducts US aerial and ground operations using troops + Contractors + African operatives trained and equipped by US

AFRICOM = DRONE STAGING GROUND = Operation Flintlock = Just one of the many training exercises + Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti is a well-known staging ground for drone strikes in Yemen and Somalia.

AFRICOM = Militarized Humanitarianism = Army War College dismissed claims that AFRICOM is protecting US oil interests, but argue private MULTINATIONAL BIG OIL are the “best corporate citizens that African leaders and their publics could hope for.”

AFRICOM = Daily operations and talk of “ sensitizing” West African nations to the idea of a permanent Marines “crisis unit” in the region make clear that a more permanent U.S. presence on the continent is its true intention.

AFRICOM = “DISASTER MILITARISM” = “Humanitarian projects??” = Activists with Women for Genuine Security explain this use of humanitarian aid to “ further larger geopolitical and military goals”—a practice they have dubbed “disaster militarism”—is a general strategy employed by the U.S. military worldwide.

AFRICOM = 2010 report found humanitarian projects = a multi-branch military operation in East Africa = “an entry point” to “facilitate a military intervention, should the need arise.”

AFRICOM = PART of US military’s “lily pad strategy” of speckling the globe with tiny military installations = “small-footprint operations” = small-scale troop build-ups to establish grounds for larger concentrations of troop activities later on.

UPDATE: Will Obama Fall Victim to ‘Creeping Interventionism’ in Nigeria?

McCain + NEOCONS = Never met a country they didn’t want to invade = Now Nigeria PAID by MIDDLE CLASS = MAKE MULTINATIONAL BILLIONAIRES RICHER

GOP + NEOCONS = Use tragedy of the kidnapping of hundreds of Nigerian girls

Josh Rogin, The Daily Beast, caught McCain saying: “I certainly would send in US troops to rescue them, in a New York minute I would, without permission of the host country.…”

Bill Kristol = Neocon agrees with McCain: “It would be nice to learn the Obama administration has ordered the military to plan to destroy or cripple Boko Haram.”

Boko Haram = Vicious, destructive group led by a person who is probably insane.

So far Obama = judiciously offered surveillance assistance and other limited help to the Nigerian government and insisting that “ransom payments and other concessions” are unthinkable. = A danger of a kind of “creeping interventionism” that Obama must resist. = Obama addressed the limits of power for US in situations like this =”there are times in which I want to reach out and save those kids—and having to think through what levers, what power do we have at any given moment?” = Obama offered limited help = Surveillance flights over Nigeria in the search for more than 250 abducted schoolgirls and is considering the deployment of drones to the region to bolster the effort, officials said Monday.

US Army’s Africa = Preparing to send soldiers and special operations forces to Nigeria to train that nation’s forces for combat operations, a first for the command that traditionally has trained local forces for only peacekeeping missions. = Team will arrive in Nigeria to train a newly formed 650-man Ranger battalion by the end of May to fight Boko Haram.

Obama has to resist the idea that the US and its military can solve it.

OBAMA STATE OF UNION 2014 = Across Africa = Businesses help end extreme poverty (LOL – NEXT SLAVE LABOR TO EXPLOIT) = We believe in the dignity and equality of every human being, regardless of race or religion, creed or sexual orientation.

Kerry = Africa has “Natural Resources” = US is a “Natural Partner” + US “know-how for economic development” = AP reported what Kerry said to Addis Ababa diplomatic corps + Young Africa leader network following his visit to Ethiopia.

Kerry said over next 3 years 37 of 54 African nations will hold national elections. He called on Africans to combat corruption costing the Africans $10s of Billions. = US wants to SCAM $100s of Billions. = Kerry highlighted Nigeria + South Sudan + Somalia + Central African Republic = Urged Africans to demand stability and financial development.

Kerry = “That money could build new schools and hospitals, new roads and bridges, new pipes and power lines. That’s why it’s a responsibility for citizens in Africa and in all nations to demand that public money is providing services for all, not lining the pockets of a few”

Dictatorships Washington supported over the years include Equatorial Guinea = a staunch US ally and Africa’s longest ruling dictator since 1979 after he executed his uncle. = Equatorial Guinea’s oil exports and corruption made the Obiang family one of the wealthiest families in Africa. = Reports of unlawful killings + government-sanctioned kidnappings + systematic torture of prisoners & detainees + life threatening conditions in prisons and detention facilities + arbitrary arrest + Solitary detention + harassment and deportation of foreign residents + Restrictions on the right to privacy and freedom of speech and the press + No right of assembly or association or movement + violence and discrimination against women + trafficking in persons + discrimination against ethnic minorities + No labor rights

Committee’s report = Recommends 3 more refineries as soon as possible + “We should not sell everything to foreigners. Government must have some shares in those privatized refineries.”

“..we found only seven that may be capable of setting up refineries.” + “We sincerely believe that if these steps are taken, shortages of petroleum products, black marketing and so on will be a thing of the past”

On 9 December 2005, Jonathan was sworn in as Governor of Bayelsa State upon the impeachment of the current Governor charged with money laundering in UK. In September 2006, Jonathan was marred by indictment of his wife for crimes related to money laundering.

Goodluck Jonathan = Attempted to remove the people’s fuel subsidy 2011 to 2012 = 80% of Nigerians opposed = Many prominent Nigerians spoke out against the removal of subsidy by Jonathan administration. = Will squeeze the economy, increase inflation, and hurt both businesses and the public. = The Nigeria Labor Congress’ warning of many strikes by unions = Called for Jonathan to resign = After 5 days of national protests and strikes Jonathan announced the pump price would be 97 naira/litre (NOT 147 naira) = Subsidies Kept = BUT THEN HE TRIES TO PRIVATIZE HIS FRAUD.

President Jonathan accused of masterminding 1 October 2010 independence day bomb attacks. = Organized in a desperate political strategy to demonize political opponents and win popular sympathy ahead of the 2011 elections. = The Nigerian Presidency denied the allegations of terrorism leveled against President Jonathan.